---
title: "Expert Explains Why Shahed Drone Repeaters Cannot Be Hidden in Kyiv"
description: "Searching for enemy repeaters on Kyiv's roofs is an illusion since their emissions are instantly tracked by special services. The main threat comes from Belarusian base stations and Gerbera drones."
date: 2026-10-07T09:08:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/why-shahed-drone-repeaters-cannot-be-hidden-in-kyiv
tags: [uav, air-defense, electronic-warfare, belarus, ukraine]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Expert Explains Why Shahed Drone Repeaters Cannot Be Hidden in Kyiv

![Military expert comments on drone communication systems and signal repeaters](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/07/pochemu-retranslyatory-dlya-shahedov-nevozmozhno-spryatat-v-kieve/pochemu-retranslyatory-dlya-shahedov-nevozmozhno-spryatat-v-kieve-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- An active radio transmitter cannot be hidden in a megacity due to radio emission.
- State monitoring specialists can locate an unauthorized emission source in the city within minutes.
- The real threat comes from base stations in Belarus and Gerbera-type airborne repeaters.
- Ukraine excluded Chinese equipment from 5G networks under the Clean Network initiative.

Searching for enemy signal repeaters on the roofs and balconies of Kyiv is, from the perspective of radiophysics and military engineering, an illusion that distracts from real threats. The adversary's true leverage is concentrated on base stations in Belarus and airborne repeaters such as the "Gerbera" drone, which ensure stable communication for unmanned aerial vehicles.

### Technical Impossibility of Masking Radiation in a Megacity

According to aviation expert Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, hiding an active radio transmitter capable of maintaining contact with an airborne drone inside a major city is technically impossible. This is because any such device emits radio waves and inevitably "lights up on the airwaves." Ukraine operates one of the most advanced radio frequency monitoring systems, and specialists from Ukrspectronic and the State Special Communications Service possess the necessary stationary direction finders and mobile radio control complexes to locate the source within minutes.

### Contradictory Data

At the same time, experts hold varying assessments regarding the UAV communication infrastructure. Previously, presidential advisor Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov suggested that hidden Russian Mesh repeaters might actually be operating inside Kyiv itself, providing Shaheds with a short-term communication channel for strike correction. According to his version, there could be one to three such devices, posing detection challenges, whereas Khrapchynskyi insists on the complete technical impracticability of such local hidden nodes under the capital's strict radio control.

### The Role of Belarusian Infrastructure and Airborne Repeaters

Experts see the real systemic danger along the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, where base stations operating in non-standard centimeter Mesh communication ranges are deployed on high-mast towers in Hden, Khoiniki, and Makhnovychi. These sovereign digital radio networks direct their antennas toward Ukraine. The main connecting link in this chain consists of high-altitude airborne repeaters—Gerbera-type drones loitering at altitudes up to two kilometers to maintain direct line-of-sight and transmit digital commands.

### Security Prospects and the Clean Network Initiative

A historical vulnerability factor was that a significant portion of mobile network equipment was built using Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE, whose standard cellular communication could potentially be used for telemetry transmission. Nevertheless, Ukraine has joined the global Clean Network initiative, excluding Chinese systems from the security perimeter of new 5G networks. Strategic updates to the core network are now built on equipment from European leaders—Sweden's Ericsson and Finland's Nokia, reducing unauthorized access risks.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Эксперт объяснил, почему ретрансляторы для "Шахедов" невозможно спрятать в Киеве](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ekspert-poyasniv-chomu-retranslyatori-shahediv-1791363886.html) - Основной источник комментария Анатолия Храпчинского.
- [Не только ретрансляторы: эксперт объяснил роль Беларуси в атаках на Украину](https://www.unian.net/war/ataka-na-kiev-2-iyulya-ekspert-obyasnil-rol-belarusi-v-udarah-po-ukraine-13429476.html) - Контекст роли белорусских базовых станций и ретрансляторов Гербера.
- [Может уничтожить больше целей за меньшее время: эксперт о новых возможностях украинской ПВО](https://www.unian.net/weapons/pvo-hrapchinskiy-rasskazal-o-novyh-vozmozhnostyah-ukrainskoy-pvo-13355175.html) - Контекст роли белорусских базовых станций и ретрансляторов Гербера.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Can a drone repeater be hidden in Kyiv?
**A:** No, technically it is impossible because any active radio transmitting device emits waves and is quickly detected by stationary direction finders and mobile radio monitoring complexes.

### Q: What is the real threat regarding enemy UAV communications?
**A:** The main threat comes from high-mast cellular and Mesh communication towers in border areas of Belarus, as well as Gerbera airborne repeaters providing direct line-of-sight.